Monday, February 20, 2017

The Benefits Of Moon Salutations

By Faye Martins

In many traditional cultures, the moon is revered as a sacred object that is one of the most powerful in nature. According to hatha yoga tradition, the lunar energy that is released by the moon also resides within every human being. It is possible to harness and channel this energy with yoga, and that is why the ancient yogis created moon salutations.

A Calming Energy

According to hatha yoga tradition, the moon and the sun emit two very different types of energy. While the sun is the source of warm, active and outwardly manifested energy, the moon is quite different. Lunar energy is thought to be much cooler, receptive, and directed inward.

This means that yoga practitioners who learn the art of moon salutations will have a great way to calm themselves whenever they need to. In hatha yoga tradition, a moon salutation is a way to calm the energy in the body. This is even more important today than when it was first invented.

There are two reasons for this. The first is that today's society is a much more fast-paced, hectic society than at any other point in history. Everyone is always running around in 20 different directions at once, and this means stress levels are through the roof for most people.

Finding Balance

The other reason that the moon salutation is more important than ever is because of the type of yoga that is practiced in most yoga studios today. In traditional yoga practice, it is thought that the two main forces that are at work inside the body are the solar and lunar energies represented by the sun and moon. The aim of traditional yoga practice is to use asanas to balance the two energies.

However, in most modern yoga studios, the asanas that are practiced are primarily asanas that channel the solar energy. The main reason for this is that many yoga studios aim is to help people get into shape and lose weight. The best way to do this is to use energetic asanas that get the body working hard, and these are the asanas that focus on solar energy.

This focus on solar-centered asanas means that most people do not get the balance they need with their yoga. That is why it is more important than ever to regularly focus on asanas that harness the lunar energy of the moon. The best way to do this is to use a moon salutation.

The traditional moon salutation draws from many classic yoga poses to create a 16-step routine that channels the feminine, thoughtful energy of the moon. Although many of the poses like downward-facing dog, child's pose and cat's pose are familiar to most yoga participants, the energy generated by a moon salutation sequence transforms these familiar poses into something quite different.

Anyone who uses a moon salutation regularly will find that they become much more centered and balanced in all aspects of their lives. They will be able to lower their levels of stress, allowing them to deal with difficult situations with a much greater sense of calm and assuredness.

The key to great yoga is balance. Anyone who wishes to find balance must look to harness the power of lunar energy. Using the moon salutation is the surest way to help find this sense of balance.

Faye Martins, is a Yoga teacher and a graduate of the Yoga teacher training program at: Aura Wellness Center in, Attleboro, MA.

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